Marauders
The Marauders were a group of five Gryffindors and classmates: Remus Lupin, Willow Evans, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and James Potter. The five attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1971-1978. They had a knack for rule-breaking and mischief-making. While at Hogwarts they also created the Marauder's Map, which continued to help future generations of mischief-makers. The Marauders would all go on to fight in the First Wizarding War and some in the second. They were also participants in the original Order of the Phoenix, an organization lead by Albus Dumbledore in the struggle against the Dark Lord, Voldemort. All of the Marauders died whilst protecting Harry Potter and Violet Black from Voldemort or his Death Eaters, including Peter Pettigrew. History Hogwarts years "Moony, Wormtail, Paws, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief Makers Are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP" The Marauders' strong friendship began in their first year at Hogwarts. By their fifth year, all but Remus Lupin, who was a werewolf, had secretly become unregistered Animagi in order to assist Remus during his transformations. James Potter's Animagus form was a shining red stag (Prongs), Sirius Black's was a shaggy black dog (Padfoot), Willow Evans' was a sly red fox (Paws), and Peter Pettigrew's was a fat grey rat (Wormtail). As 'Padfoot' and 'Prongs', Sirius and James were large enough to control Remus (Moony) during his monthly transformations into a werewolf. 'Paws' was able to easily distract him and trick him to do what she wanted him to do. 'Wormtail' (Peter) was small and nimble enough to get past the Whomping Willow's defenses, so the group could get to the Shrieking Shack. The Marauders were frequently out of their beds at night to explored Hogwarts' grounds and the village of Hogsmeade during Lupins' transformation. In their fifth years at Hogwarts, James, Sirius, Willow, Remus, and Peter created the Marauder's Map, a small, bewitched roll of parchment that displayed the castle grounds and inhabitants of Hogwarts — including all staff, ghosts and students — in great detail. In the end of their seventh year, Hogwarts caretaker Argus Filch confiscated the map and kept it in a drawer in his office labeled 'Classified and Highly Dangerous'. Fred and George Weasley stole the map in their first year, and later passed it on to Harry Potter in 1993, who shared it with Violet Willis. The map was closed for good in 1998. The Marauders were all members of Gryffindor House and greatly despised their Slytherin enemy, Severus Snape. It was discovered in Harry Potter's fifth year at Hogwarts that James, Willow and Sirius often bullied Snape (calling him 'Snivellus' and using humiliating spells on him), while Peter cheered them on. Although he greatly disapproved of their bullying, Remus did not try to stop them, something he would later come to regret. In their Hogwarts years, the Marauders were affiliated with Patricia Rakepick, a Gryffindor student four years above them who shared their interest in breaking rules. They also shared their dislike towards Snape. Rakepick knew about the Marauder's Map as well. Remus Lupin had fallen in love with Sirius' cousin, Lyra Black. She became pregnant around June 1978 and they were forced to break up. Lyra had the baby in February 1979 after she had married Tom Avery, a member of Snape's gang who the Marauders frequently pulled pranks on as well. First Wizarding War Lily and James got married, as did Willow and Sirius. Lily and James had their son Harry Potter in 1980, and Sirius was made godfather. The Marauders would all go on to become members of the original Order of the Phoenix against the Dark Lord, Voldemort, as adults. Peter Pettigrew, though belonging to the Order of the Phoenix, later turned on his friends in favor of Voldemort's protection. Recently forced into hiding, James and Lily made Pettigrew the Secret Keeper of their location, at Sirius's suggestion. His theory in doing this was that Peter was the least expected choice, further protecting the secret. In a selfish act to save himself, however, Peter revealed the location of the Potters' cottage to Voldemort and betrayed his friends. Consequently, James and Lily were murdered at the hands of the Dark Lord in an attempt to protect their infant son, Harry, from being hurt. That same night Willow had hers and Sirius' daughter, Violet. An incensed Sirius confronted Peter about his traitorous actions in a Muggle street, but the latter narrowly escaped by unleashing a curse all around him — killing a dozen Muggles in the process — and cut off his own finger. He then transformed into his rat form and fled into the sewers, framing Sirius as the traitor to the Potters and a killer. Sirius was taken to Azkaban with no trial, where he faced 12 dismal years of imprisonment before his escape in 1993. Willow sought out Sirius, but was kidnapped by the Ministry of Magic who feared she may have taken part in the murders and placed under a Confundus charm as they didn't have any proof. Peter had successfully faked his own death and remained the victim to Sirius' falsely alleged crimes. In his rat form (under the name 'Scabbers') he came into the possession of Percy Weasley and later his younger brother Ron. Sirius' years in Azkaban were spent with the knowledge that he was innocent, and that the true traitor and killer was Peter Pettigrew. So strong was the belief that Sirius was guilty that the fifth Marauder, Remus, thought one of his oldest friends was a killer and the reason that the Potters' location had been revealed to Voldemort. Remus searched for Willow, but was unable to find her. Being the godfather, and knowing he couldn't care for her, he sent her to a squib, born of two muggleborns and she was raised as Violet Willis instead. Remus kept an eye on her throughout her life. Between wars In 1993, Sirius Black was able to escape Azkaban in his Animagus form (Padfoot being malnourished enough to slip through the Azkaban bars, and thwart the Dementors). Sirius' goal was to seek revenge on his former friend Peter Pettigrew, whom he had discovered was still alive and currently hiding as Ron Weasley's pet rat, Scabbers, at Hogwarts. At this time, Remus Lupin had been the newly appointed Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. He met his daughter for the very first time. He also taught Violet Willis and Harry Potter at this time, and discovered that Peter was alive from the Marauder's Map, further concluding that Sirius was innocent. Lupin kept his lycanthropy a secret from the students and staff. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin reunited to reveal Scabbers as Peter Pettigrew. The old friends were about to finish Peter once and for all, but Harry Potter stopped them, telling them that Peter should be taken to Azkaban to clear Sirius's criminal record. However, the plan backfired, and whilst the others were distracted with Remus's sudden transformation into a werewolf, Peter once again escaped to rejoin his old master, Lord Voldemort. With his servant's help in 1995, Voldemort was able to regain his full body and regain magic ability using a Rudimentary Body Potion. Peter lost his hand in the process — to which his master replaced it with a silver one. Remus resigned from his post as a Hogwarts professor soon after when Snape 'accidentally' let it slip to the students and other staff that Remus was a werewolf. Second Wizarding War Voldemort returned to power for the second time, kick-starting the Second Wizarding War. A new Order of the Phoenix was established whose members included both Remus and Sirius, who were both members of the original Order. Around Christmas in 1995, Violet discovered her mother at St Mungos and with Dumbledore's help, Sirius and Remus was able to get her back to her self. Sirius was murdered in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries by his Death Eater cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. He was struck with an unknown spell in a moment of recklessness, causing him to fall through the Veil in the Death Chamber to his death. After his death, Sirius' name was cleared of all charges when Voldemort and his supporters came back in the open. His death also caused Violet and Harry an extreme amount of grief and pain but also strengthened their resolve in their fight against Voldemort and his followers. This also caused the Minister for Magic at the time (Cornelius Fudge) to finally acknowledge Voldemort's returned presence in the wizarding world. Unbeknowst to them, Willow had fallen pregnant once again and had twins in Spring 1997, she named them Gaia Andromeda and Regulus Alphard Black. In April 1998 Remus' wife Tonks became pregnant with a boy, whom they asked Harry to be the godfather of, as they considered Harry to be the best option. Shortly before Teddy's birth, Peter Pettigrew met his end in 1998 when Violet murdered him for his crimes against her family and her parents' friends. Remus Lupin was murdered soon after in May of 1998 during the Battle of Hogwarts in a duel against Antonin Dolohov. Legacy Harry briefly spoke with his father, mother, Sirius, Remus and Cassie Black (the second daughter of Lyra Black) through the Resurrection Stone, before facing Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. The echos of the three Marauders, the love of his life, and Lily gave him the strength he needed to face Voldemort and they also kept the Dementors at bay. They were with him until he entered the clearing where Voldemort and his Death Eaters were located, as he dropped the stone before their confrontation. After Remus and Tonks's deaths, Teddy was raised by his maternal grandmother Andromeda Tonks, with help from his godfather. Willow and Sirius' daughter, Gaia, turned out to be a squib, while Regulus was a wizard. Gaia and Teddy eventually fell in love. Harry named his first son in honor of his deceased father and Sirius, James Sirius Potter. It is also noted the James Sirius takes after his grandfather and Sirius, sharing many of their personality traits. Violet named her second daughter after her mother, Olive Willow Malfoy. Willow closed the map after the Battle of Hogwarts, deeming the Marauders era was over. She died in 2019 which marked the end of the Marauders. Behind the scenes * Their nicknames all have something to do with their transformed states. Lupin turns into a werewolf at the full moon '''(Moony), Pettigrew transforms into a rat, which has a '''tail that resembles a worm '(Wormtail), Sirius transforms into a dog, which have '''padded feet '(Padfoot), and James turns into a stag, whose antlers are 'prongs '(Prongs). Willow transforms into a fox with has '''paws (Paws). This is explained to Harry by Lupin at the end of his third year. * Four of the Marauders went on to have families of their own. James Potter, who married Lily Evans and fathered Harry Potter. Remus Lupin, who married Nymphadora Tonks and had a son named Teddy. Willow and Sirius married each other and had Violet Black and later in life Gaia and Regulus Black. Neither family lasted for very long, as both parents would eventually be killed, orphaning their children, and leaving godfathers to guard their sons (Sirius in the case of the Potters, Remus in the case of the Blacks, and Harry in the case of the Lupins). However, the three children's childhoods differ drastically. While Harry is raised by his cruel aunt and uncle and separated from his godfather, Violet is raised in a loving household, ubeknowst to who she is, while her godfather looked out for her, Teddy is raised by his loving grandmother with help from his godfather, Gaia and Regulus are too raised by Andromeda Tonks with help from Harry and Violet.